When High Self-efficacy and Technical Difficulties Collide

Rest in piece, classmate
A frustrating story

The podcast

First, though, you're here for the podcast!
The Quotable Dr. Mallet

This is my uncle, a research scientist and instructor at the University of North Texas Health Science Center.
He's a real character!


The Self-efficacy & Technical Difficulties Collision

After spending most of my Sunday finishing my responsibility share for my group Wiki project (I considered my role to be spit-shining to make everything look and read professionally), I turned my attention to clipping and editing my podcast.
I interviewed Dr. Mallet over a week ago. I have learned that I am generally either a work-ahead or work last-minute kinda human, so this story is, you could say, on brand for Michael Tate.


I was asked to cover an overnight shift at work (the job typically has some downtime), and so I arrived, got settled, and began working at clipping out the pieces of the interview that I wanted to use.

You see, I was a copy editor, and editor-in-chief, of my college newspaper.
I grew up with computers and the internet. I generally believe that I can execute what I need to on the internet.

But, sometimes, computers and the the internet laugh at you.
Because... capitalism? Obsolesence?
Here's what happened.
First, I got caught up clipping out "uh"s and "um"s. I should have just scanned the file for the pieces that I wanted to include and then tidied up.
But, I spent too long on that part. "No big deal. It's just a simple YouTube upload. I've done this thing before, and it'll be a small file.
So, I stop editing (for my non-classmates, we had a midnight deadline) in order to get the podcast linked to my blog in time.
I go to export the audio project file as an .mp3 so that I can attach it to a simple movie file with some simple image to display.
A comedy of errors ensues.

1. Audacity doesn't have the encoder I need to export as an .mp3.
2. "No matter; I've done this before. I'll just download it really quickly. Small file, super simple."
3. Audacity online: "You can't download the encoder cuz the license has expired. We just include it in new versions of Audacity."
4. More from audacity online: "Your Mac OS is too old for the new version of Audacity."
5. Me: "Ok, fine. I'll just export it as another file type."
6. (exports as .ogg)
7. Tries to upload the .ogg to YouTube. File type not supported. Hey, it was worth a shot.
8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 with .wav file. Also fail.
9. Alright, let's turn this into a simple movie.
10. Mac App Store: "You can have a free movie editor, but it only lets you make 5-minute films for free." (Assignment is, of course, 10 minute max length. This is Michael Tate we're talking about, so my clip is 9:58. Again, on brand to squeeze in under the requirement.)
Also App Store: "You can't have this free App cuz your OS is too old."
FINE. I'll fire up my Windows laptop.
Wait. Where's "Movie Maker"? There is another program now? Ok. I'll try it.
It's now past midnight, and I'm losing points from my grade, but this is about getting the project done and in, more than anything. So, I keep trying.
Open app, try to start using it. App shuts itself down.
Try again. And again. And again. Shutdown, shutdown, shutdown.

Sometimes in life, you just have to laugh, or you'll cry.
FINE, I'll try this on my phone. File uploaded to the Cloud, check. Display image uploaded to Cloud, check. Download files to phone, check.
...
...
The movie creator app I installed on my phone won't find the cover image file. The app doesn't seem to respond to anything I do.
I try a Google Chrome movie-maker extension, but can't make heads or tails of it. At a loss, I go to bed, wondering how I'm going to get this assignment in.

I go for a run after work to clear my head (yes, I did get some sleep), and I think, "why don't I just use a file converter or web-based movie maker? Or ask my great friend Devin, professional photog/videographer if he has any software recommendations. I try this. I tell him this tale of woe. Simultaneously, we begin typing messages that get at the ultimate solution. He offers to slap the file together for me just as I was typing a message to ask if he could. I send him the files.
A couple hours later, he has completed the task and sends me the link so that I can download my file. After I get done delivering a vehicle and make it to my next job, I sit down at this computer and upload the file. Devin being Devin, he spruces up the image so that it doesn't look like a 1990s 5th-grader working on Windows 95's "Paint" program made it (I actually used Paint 3D!). I totally get the impulse. If someone puts text copy in my metaphorical hands, I'm GOING to want to make it nice and shiny. (see: group Wiki project. It's what I do.)
So, there you have it. My high self-efficacy self had to ask for help because every direction I turned had a roadblock.
Methinks I may have to break down and buy a professional computer that serves all my needs.
Thanks for reading! Hope that you enjoy listening to my unlce, if you haven't already!
~Michael